But just last month, Clinton confided at a California speaking appearance that she has four devices — an iPhone, a BlackBerry, an iPad and a mini iPad.

"I don't throw anything away, I'm like two steps short of a hoarder," she said.

Critics were quick to flash back to Clinton's self-proclaimed love of gadgetry after she told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday at United Nations headquarters in Manhattan that she spent her entire time at State operating on a personal email account to avoid the hassle of carrying a work phone and a private phone.

That immediately had the tech savvy asking why she didn't just do what many users do: Set up a work account and a personal account on single device and switch back and forth.

A Clinton spokesman, Nick Merrill, said State Department regulations prohibited the then-secretary from accessing private accounts on a work-issued handheld.

In February, Clinton said at a California speaking appearance that she has four devices — an iPhone, a BlackBerry, an iPad and a mini iPad. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)

Clinton said that she had "fully complied" with all the rules that governed her communications during her tour as secretary.

Regulations in effect during her tenure required that all State-related communications be preserved for archiving.

However, a 2011 advisory issued to State Department employees while Clinton was boss urged workers to avoid using personal accounts for government business because of unspecified security threats.